A new faith-based movie that tells the incredible story of a small Texas town adopting 77 difficult-to-place children earned a rare A+ CinemaScore from audiences. Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot (PG-13) nabbed an A+ CinemaScore and opened in the Top 5 on its first day before finishing No. 7 for the weekend. An overwhelming majority (81 percent) of critics at Rotten Tomatoes also liked it. Angel Studios and DailyWire+ jointly released it.
CinemaScore is a service that asks moviegoers to grade the film they saw on the opening weekend. Perfect scores are rare. For example, Despicable Me 4 and Inside Out 2—the top two movies at the box office this weekend—each earned a flat A. A Quiet Place: Day One is another new movie with a B+. Only one other film this year, Unsung Hero, also earned an A+.
Sound of Hope is based on a true story and follows the heroic exploits of Rev. WC Martin and his wife, Donna Martin, who adopt three children out of the foster care system and ignite an adoption movement in their small church and town of Possum Trot, Texas. In total, 22 families combined to adopt 77 children. Many of the children are older and have special needs.
“We want the ones that don’t nobody else want,” Martin tells the social worker.
Brandon Purdie of Angel Studios said the CinemaScore rating is significant.
“We are thrilled with how audiences have showed up and responded to Sound of Hope, even during a busy holiday weekend,” Purdie said. “Sound of Hope is more than a movie. This true story of 22 families that changed the course of the lives of 77 vulnerable children has sparked a movement. We are confident that the film will continue to grow and impact audiences, so no child will be without a home.”
The film opened at No. 4 on the Fourth of July, trailing only Despicable Me 4, Inside Out 2, and A Quiet Place: Day One. For the weekend, it placed seventh.
Actor Demetrius Grosse, who portrays Rev. Martin, told Crosswalk Headlines he hopes the film ignites an adoption movement nationwide.
“It’s these kinds of stories that just make my heart full,” he said. “And these are the kinds of narratives that I think the world needs more of.”
Related Article: 3 Things You Should Know before Watching ‘Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot’
Photo Credit: ©Angel Studios
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.